Prepared for Destiny
by The MIB's
Summary: Little Yuuri's maryoku went out of control as a child. So she is apprenticed under the Tohsaka Clan in Fuyuki City at age nine for three years because for some reason, her teacher set only three years as something big will happen and its no place for kids when those years end. Growing up to be a Magus, how will this kind of girl become Queen someday? Fem!Yuuri Fate/Zero X-Over
1. Apprenticeship

Apprenticeship

It all started when a family paid a certain estate a visit.

'So Yuuri-chan is the first in the family to have maryoku but in her case, it went amuck?' Tohsaka Tokiomi asked the sad and troubled-looking pair across him, the Shibuyas. A normal family...well, almost normal...not when their daughter sported powers. The only one here is the father, and daughter in question. The mother has to stay home to supervise repairs.

'Yes...it was hard explaining away to the neighbors that our kitchen blew up when in reality, its her bedroom that exploded.' Shibuya Shoma sighed. 'A family friend who knows of magic recommended you to us in hopes you would accept our daughter as an apprentice so she could control her powers. We had no idea people who could use magic existed until now so I hope she would learn well under your care. We're a fairly normal family and she's the first to possess such powers.'

'I see. Very well, I shall accept Yuuri-chan as my pupil and be the junior of my first apprentice.' Tokiomi agreed. 'She will be staying in our home. Where is her luggage?'

'Er, still in the car.' said Shoma sheepishly.

'Daddy, what about school?' Yuuri asked her father.

'For one year, you will be skipping school for now as control is more important.' Shoma told her. 'Its for your sake as well as others around you so you would no hurt yourself and others.' he said softly. 'Be good to the Tohsakas OK?' he said, kissing her head. 'By the way Tohsaka-san...for how long will this apprenticeship last?' he asked him.

'Well...due to a dangerous event coming soon and a child has no place in it, three years.' said Tokiomi. 'I shall contact you when its time for her to go home once three years has passed by.'

'Three years...that's OK with us as long as she could control her maryoku and...not blow up the house again.' Shoma said weakly. Yuuri just huffed complete with puffed-up cheeks. The men chuckled in amusement at her expression.

'Well, do good, study and train hard OK Yuuri-chan?' Shoma told her. 'After one year, I'll have you continue schooling in Fuyuki to keep up appearances to the neighbors. After that, we go home.'

'Yes daddy.' and with that, Shoma dropped off two travel bags with one containing her clothes and the other, shoes..

xxx

'So sensei, what kind of magic will I learn from you?' Yuuri asked Tokiomi as her father's car left.

'Well, it depends.' said Tokiomi. 'Pupils must choose themselves what art they wish to learn. Because if a pupil is made to learn an art he or she does not like, it hampers their motivation from learning and show disinterest altogether. And we have a lot of arts after learning basic elementary spells.

'A lot of disciplines?'

'Hai. Any Magus devoted to the arts studied and mastered as many crafts as they can in their lifetime.' said Tokiomi. 'Because upon mastering the arts we devoted ourselves to, we may find a path to the Root of all Knowledge, Akasha. And to reach Akasha, we can become Magicians and have access to the Five Great Magics. It is our dream to become a Magician. Right now, what we are is a far cry from such prestige. A Magus. And we Magi only reenact miracles, not actually produce them. But upon becoming a magician, we can actually create miracles ourselves. A great honor.' he explained. 'Before my senior apprentice comes from Italy, I shall have you learn basic knowledge until he arrives.'

'Hai, sensei!' and he took her to his Workshop in the Basement where she found a table, two chairs, bookshelves just around her height, and other gizmos she does not recognize.

'This is where you and your fellow student will study at under me.' said Tokiomi. 'Because normal humans cannot find out about us and magic. Not everyone has magic or has talent in it. Jealousy breeds hate and hate breeds persecution because they can't have magic.' he shook his head. 'That is why our workshops and training areas tend to be...underground.'

'Oh...I hope its not bad for the eyes to be down here sensei...its kinda dark and its just candles for lighting.'

'I know but sacrifices must be made sometimes.' said Tokiomi. 'I shall teach you our alphabet, because we Magi decided to use Runic Scripts to code and hide our thaumaturgical knowledge from humans. So even if discovered and our books are found, they will get nothing from it.'

'Hai, sensei.' and so, Yuuri learned the Runic Alphabet and how to read and write in it. Since each rune translates into English letters, its easy for her to memorize it but writing in er...runic 'English' is another whole story...and it took her a week to get the hang of it.

'For someone your age, you're pretty good in English.' Tokiomi remarked, impressed.

'Well...oniichan teaches me at home every after school.' said Yuuri. 'He's a much better teacher than the actual school teacher!' she said wryly. 'He makes it so easy to understand.'

'Oho? Well this makes things easier for us. And your senior will be here soon tonight, so before sundown, choose the arts you wish to learn before I start the both of you in basics.' said Tokiomi. 'We have a long list here in summarized version. Then write on a piece of paper which art you would like to learn.'

'OK!' and Yuuri read the long list...before writing the arts she wanted to learn. She wanted to learn Alchemy, Healing, Spiritual Invocation, Elemental Magic, Origin Magic, Material Transmutation, and Psychic Abilities like Psychokinesis, Teleportation, Psychometry, Hypnosis, Telepathy, and Bio-PK. Tokiomi looked at her list and did a double-take.

'Let's see if we can squeeze all this in three years.' he remarked with a choke. 'You're interested in all this?'

'Yep!' Yuuri beamed. 'I hope I can but what's squeeze-able in three years, sensei?'

'Well, the Psychic Abilities you wanted to learn but it requires a strong mind and willpower so hopefully, you possess both or we'll have trouble.' said Tokiomi. 'Or once you got the hang of it, continue training at home when our apprenticeship ends.' Yuuri nodded. 'Besides that, What do you wish to learn first? Re-write the list in your priority order.' he said, giving her back her list. So Yuuri had to write numbers before the priority order.

The list went as:

1. Healing  
2. Bio-PK  
3. Spiritual Invocation  
4. Origin Magic  
5. Elemental Magic  
6. Material Transmutation/Alteration/Reinforcement  
7. Alchemy  
8. Psychokinesis  
9. Psychometry  
10. Telepathy  
11. Hypnosis  
12. Teleportation

'I see. Very well, we will start in this order and if we can't make three years, I shall leave written instructions so you can self-train at home.'

'Hai, sensei.'

'By the looks of things, you want to focus more on Healing Magic.' said Tokiomi. 'So even after learning Healing Magic from me, it is imperative that you study medical books at home. You can't just use healing spells and hope it works. You have to 'target' what you want to heal. And its limited to injuries only, not diseases. And that, is what the Hospital is for.' Yuuri sweatdropped.

'Tokiomi~! Kirei-kun is here!' a woman called out as Yuuri visibly cringed.

'Who on earth named their kid 'pretty'?' Yuuri choked out as Tokiomi snorted. His poor pupil no doubt gets this a lot. Then again, he's talking to someone named 'profitable'.

''Kirei' is written as 綺礼 which means, 'pure expression of gratitude' not 'pretty'.' he explained. 'Well...its a pun on his father's part.' he said. 'Just don't mention it.'

'Hai hai...'

'Well, dinner is in order at the table so you two can meet each other.'

xxx

'So she is my junior pupil, Master?' Kotomine Kirei, a man of 23 years old spoke to Tokiomi. Yuuri looked up at her senior pupil who's tall, dressed in a...gakuran and wore a gold cross pendant. To her, he seemed...empty. So she's somewhat nervous of him.

'Yes. She is Shibuya Yuuri-chan. There's...an incident in her house some days ago and a family friend recommended me to her parents.' said Tokiomi. 'The family has no idea magic existed and she is the first in her family to possess maryoku.' he told him. 'Well, she may be the first in her family to become a Magus and its in question if her children will inherit the power someday.'

'Haa...' and so, that dinner tonight is between Tokiomi, Kirei and Yuuri, while Aoi and her daughters ate somewhere else because they are in business talk about their apprenticeship. Kirei has chosen his own arts to study. He chose Alchemy, Necromancy, Summoning, Divination and Healing.

'...why so few Kirei-san? There's lots magic has to offer.' Yuuri pointed out. 'Surely lots more got your interest.'

'Well, I too, am on limited time in three years.' said Kirei. 'I feel that those arts can be squeezed in three years and here you are choosing so many.'

'Well I wanna learn all of them and if it can't be helped, I'll self-study at home!' Yuuri grinned. 'This looks fun!'

'Fun, yes but control is a must as fun with magic may become disaster if you lack focus.' said Tokiomi. 'So discipline and self-control is a must...and perform with elegance.' thus the next day...training began. They have a month to learn to control their Maryoku or longer if necessary. In Yuuri's case, she had to take three because she lacked patience, being a child while Kirei is an adult who knew patience, control and discipline by his age. Then they started learning their chosen arts in their priority order.

During her time with the Tohsakas, Yuuri got to know the family. Her sensei is a professional thru and thru. He doesn't let feelings get in the way of his work and a perfect gentleman.

His wife Tohsaka Aoi is a somewhat...saner woman compared to her own mother. She is the perfect model housewife and treats her as if she's her own. She formerly came from the Zenjou Family, a family that has the ability to enhance or maximize the Magical Pedigree of their partners thus the resulting union and children have their potentials maximized. Thus when said children are born, they have great potential and power to match. However, in the current generation, the Zenjou lost their Magic Circuits over time and Aoi herself has no Circuits. But she still retained the family sorcery trait in her blood.

Her eldest daughter Rin is a playful, energetic child, four years younger than Yuuri. And her youngest Sakura was just like her mother. Both girls have great power and potential. However, upon learning what a Magus Family should be like...Sakura is in danger of being given away to some random family. So Yuuri is subtly planting playful suggestions to Aoi that Sakura can go to the Zenjous as their heir in hopes of reviving magic in the family and the Zenjous can be magic casters again in a few generations through Sakura. That, and by being a Zenjou, Sakura and Rin are made cousins and STILL family and can see each other as they like, and another Zenjou can maximize another's potential for the sake of families with failing circuits AND save magic potential as a result.

So Aoi made those suggestions to her husband in hopes her children can still be family. After some thought, Tokiomi agreed to give Sakura to the Zenjous, to Aoi's younger brother who has yet to have children when Sakura becomes six years old and the two families cemented the adoption. Yuuri's cunning saved Sakura from a worser fate that would have come, had she not interfered.

And Tokiomi was none the wiser of her interference. Yuuri also got close to the younger girls since they were her only friends in the mansion before she goes to school the next year, after learning and mastering Healing, Bio-PK, and Spiritual Invocation in one year after her Magic Circuits are awakened and trained.

She attended Rokujyouin Elementary School, Grade 3 since she stopped a year, and her parents fibbed that she was hospitalized for a long while because 'they had to wait for a donor'. Thus she is behind school by a year when she should have been grade 4 at her age to her dismay. She started learning about Origin Magic.

Origin is the orientation at the time that an event occurred. It is the starting point that defines one's existence and directs one's actions throughout life. It is the driving force from the inside of Akasha that managed to stream out of the Source and take material form. The form it can take at times is that of a human being, and all humans match their actions to be in harmony with the driving force that originated them from the moment they enter into the world. These actions are more along the lines of an inherent compulsion that could be called a person's instinct rather than a conscious decision. If a person becomes awakened to their Origin, it becomes nearly impossible to stray from their Origin if it's even possible in the first place. It becomes an impulsive behavior one would follow as though it were an absolute order.

Under the system of Magecraft, Origins are used to describe precise details about a magus, while Elemental Affinity indicates one's general alignment. Magi with an Origin that is strongly expressed outwardly are sometimes removed from the normal alignments and there are times that the origin itself becomes the alignment. Most of those magi exhibit their talents as extreme specialists, allowing them to potentially reach higher grounds than normal magi. Even those without an Elemental Affinity are sometimes still capable of casting spells simply by following their Origin. It's possible for them to overcome great obstacles such as a lack of Circuts or a lack of talent for Magecraft altogether.

And when Yuuri and Kirei's Origins are awakened, their Origins were Purity in Yuuri's case, and to Kirei, his Origin was Open Wound, making him ideal for Healing. While Kirei is specific, Yuuri's case is...vague. But its something she would understand someday as her instincts and very being will lead her to it thus it is something they must learn, comprehend and understand on their own. It cannot be taught. Just awakened.

After a VERY SHORT LESSON on Origin Magic, Elemental Magic came next. Since Kirei wasn't interested in it and focused on Alchemy instead, Yuuri had her element determined by Consecration. Her Element is discovered to be Water and Sub-Element is Ice. Yuuri trained hard in training with pre-existing water in her surroundings or create her own using maryoku. Then changing its states and mimicking properties of chemicals and such. Then she learned to create and manipulate ice. She spent six months in Elemental Magic; three on water, three on ice. And she spent another six on Material Transmutation, Alteration and Reinforcement.

That's two years down.

On her Third Year, her final year of Elementary School at the same time, her final year of learning magic under Tokiomi and next on her list, is Alchemy.

If it took Kirei a frigging year to learn Alchemy, Yuuri practically panicked, wailed and begged Tokiomi to write down instructions in her next few lessons so she could practice at home.

Yuuri learned the three steps of Alchemy: Comprehension, Deconstruction and Reconstruction in order to make something new out of what it used to be. She also has to learn about the Periodic Table of Elements THOROUGHLY. What they are, uses, etc. Following that in order, is the Law of Equivalent Exchange and its two parts: Conservation of Mass and Natural Providence and the consequence of Rebound. And she has to learn and understand more about elements of the Earth, as well as things around herself so she can compute and make something new out of something old. To this end, she has to be very great in Math because computation IS A MUST and learned new skills as necessity: Memory Partition and she could split her mind into three parts, and Accelerate her Thoughts.

It took her a year.

Thus Tokiomi had written instructions in a notebook for her to self-study in her home. And its around this time...that Sakura is given away to the Zenjou. And Tokiomi and Kirei left for Italy, but they waited for her parents to take her home first.


	2. A Wrench in Fate's Plans

A Wrench in Fate's Plans

A year after Yuuri left the Tohsakas...

The Fourth Holy Grail War began in Fuyuki City. Yuuri around this time, is Fourteen Years Old and blissfully unaware as she is enjoying her Middle School Life as a popular girl where she's known for her unusual beauty in her all-girls' school. Sure she looks like her parents but people still see that she's the 'prettiest' in her family with a body to match. She's 5'0 in height and possessed a slender body she's envied by girls her age for. Her most notable trait was her long black hair she wears impractical long and bound at the tip with a white ribbon and her lady-like elegance. Looks aside, there's also her high grades, and she's the vice-captain of the Fencing Club.

She seems perfect in people's eyes but she's not. She worked hard to be the way she is now.

She only embodied the elegance part because her sensei said that 'do everything you do elegantly and powerful' which was the Tohsaka Family Motto which she obeyed, and had to learn how to be elegant and graceful the hard way, having taking femininity lessons in a Geisha House every holiday and chances she could get. Poise, how to walk and talk, manners and etiquette of a perfect lady as well as cooking when 3/4 of her family wants something other than Curry for dinner for a change, and learned Japanese Washoku. She even knows how to play traditional musical instruments and the long hair part was because of the Geisha House.

This was how she interpreted Elegance that Tokiomi wished for her to be. As a girl, its natural for her to think this way with these thoughts reinforced by her parents as they also interpreted it this way.

What he means is that she is to use magic with elegance yet with powerful striking force. THIS is what he truly meant.

Things outside her home made her what she is today and strived to become what she is now. She went as far as looking at beauty trends that she followed as long as its within her funds and in her magic. Bio-PK is also useful in helping in breaking down unwanted fat in unwanted places, as well as cellulite and stretch marks and then heal the 'scars' with magic as soon as she mastered Psychometry and her mother squealed, wanting her own body just as flawless too. Sure she's slim but Shori is a very big baby compared to her years ago...and she remained self-conscious about her 'birth marks'. Regarding the funds, all she needed were the creams popular on EZ Shopping.

And voila.

However, around Summer when she decided to drop by Fuyuki City...

She arrived at night, only to learn that Fuyuki City is in massive chaos. Apparently a whole district was on flames for 24 hours straight starting last night and what's strange is, no matter what they do, they could not kill the fire. So the areas near Shinto District were evacuated. Yuuri had secretly gone to see for herself and indeed, the fire was there. Firefighters coming and going to get water to extinguish a fire they couldn't put out which is strangely not spreading beyond Shinto.

She detected magic.

Powerful...and evil magic.

'What the hell happened here?' Yuuri choked out with wide eyes as she was seeing the fire from afar. She would move tonight and use up her powers to extinguish the fire somehow with her water magic. She did just that under the guise of rain. Cold, icy rain only on Shinto, but normal rain everywhere else when everyone is asleep with the fire still burning. It helped that it also naturally rained the next day, hence her focus mostly on Shinto.

When the rain ended, police and paramedics invaded Shinto in order to find both dead and alive for identification. She found a young boy rescued by a man in dark clothes. 'Hey! Is he alive?' Yuuri called out to the man who looked at her tiredly.

'Alive yes, but barely.' he said wearily. 'This is no place for inquisitive children...go home.'

'I want out of here as soon as possible either...that boy is the only one survivor while everyone else is a corpse.' said Yuuri wearily in dismay. 'We have to hurry and get him out of here!'

xxx

'So you're a Magus.' the man mused as Yuuri healed the young boy with her magic. 'Who are you?'

'I'm the...second apprentice of the Tohsaka Family.' said Yuuri. 'I came here to visit Tokiomi-sensei for other elemental lessons but...'

'He's dead.'

'That.' Yuuri mumbled. 'And the final step for him to resist the effects of the evil fire from last night...will be to awaken his Magic Circuits if he has any.' she said much to the man's horror.

'No! Don't!' he cried. 'Do you know what it means to be a Magus?!'

'I know.' said Yuuri softly. 'To be a Magus, you have to put great importance in being a Magus. Not even Family and love should get in the way.' said Yuuri sadly. 'I've seen enough of that in the three years I lived in the Tohsaka Estate. Sensei is too cold and professional with great mental and emotional discipline.' she shook her head. 'I told him I want to be a Magus but that's a lie. There's no way I want such a life. I don't want to be such a cold person when I have a loving family at home...if I have to be a heretic as long as I keep my heart around my family, so be it. We don't have to become Magus after learning Magic...for me, Magic is fun and helpful to people. And it should be that way. We don't have to give up who we are in return for knowledge and power. So I'm a Spellcaster. What about you? A 'Magus' or a Spellcaster?' Yuuri asked him with a testing look in her eyes as the man took deep breaths.

'Well...a Spellcaster but I never thought of it like that.' said the man softly. 'I just used magic as convenient tools in my work.' he said as Yuuri awakened the Magic Circuits in the boy.

'...there. He has better chances of survival now.' Yuuri said softly. 'In his case, the evil in this city caused some mutation in him to develop Magic Circuits.' she said. 'He has 27 Magic Circuits of C Quality...capable of 500 units. Not bad even for an everage Magus. He's a typical 'first generation'.' she coughed. 'If you plan on taking care of him, teach him well or apprentice him to some other families who are NOT the Matou. I worked hard to keep one child away from the Matou, do not replace said child with this one!' she grunted as she got up and dusted off her knees.

'I'd like to hear that.'

'...because the Tohsakas have two daughters, the eldest girl is automatically the heir and one child they want to keep.' said Yuuri with a hard edge in her voice. 'And the younger one is...a spare who can be given away to other families who are declining in Circuits to help them revive the family magic. During my time in the Estate, Matou Zouken kept visiting us...hoping that through old alliances, sensei would give him Sakura. And since awakening my Origin, I sensed evil intent in him, so I manipulated Aoi-san by taking advantage of sensei's Calculative Magus Mentality. I playfully suggested the Zenjou and their ability. With the Zenjou having Sakura to learn their ability, the Zenjou can have magic circuits in the family once more to fully maximize the family sorcery trait...the ability to maximize their partner's magical pedigree resulting in powerful children. With Sakura, a result of the union between Zenjou and Tohsaka, become someone else's partner, and her future children having their own partners, they can revive declining families through children. Sensei was happy with the idea more than the prospect with the Matou Clan as Sakura would become a golden key leading to a bright future so he agreed. But I had another purpose in mind.'

'The fact that Sakura is a 'spare' is taking an emotional toll on Aoi-san and her two daughters. Especially Sakura because she's a 'spare'.' Yuuri continued. 'I suggested the Zenjou so that she and Rin-chan would become cousins and therefore, still family who can see each other anytime they wanted. Aoi-san thanked me for changing sensei's mind because she didn't like Zouken either but she has no say in family decisions unless her idea actually has beneficial merits for Magi. This is thus the only one time she got what she wanted and Sakura is safe. She's now a Zenjou, learning about her maternal relatives.'

'I see...and you do not want this boy to become a Matou.' said the man softly. 'But to whom should I apprentice him to?'

'His Origin is Sword.' said Yuuri. 'Take him to a Family who can teach him anything related to anything with blades. He'll greatly excel in bladed weapons or anything that can cut, stab, jab or slash. I'm sure you know what Origin Magic is.'

'Yes, I know...my own Origin is what made me what I am now.' the man nodded. 'I'll adopt this boy as my own. I want him to gain a life before I apprentice him off. It's the least I can do for him.' he said as he picked up the boy and left.

Yuuri, satisfied that she saved another life, decided to look around some more by psychometry to learn how the fire started...and she's horrified that this came because of a golden cup and two spirits fighting over it...but the man she met ordered his partner by command to destroy the cup as he too, sensed its evil. The result was the cup spilling its dark contents over the city...and her Senior Pupil wishing for Fire, hence this mess and tragic, senseless deaths.

She found the pieces of the Grail in its location. She picked a piece up and on her touch, the pieces were purified from their evil. Happy with this effect, she sought more and touched them, purifying them and then pieced them together like a puzzle until it became a cup once more. She then touched the whole cup and purified it with her Origin, Purity. The cup soon generated a clear liquid.

'...you'll only fulfill the wish of the one who rightfully summoned you.' Yuuri spoke to the Grail. 'You're now free of the taint. The evil that destroyed this city. Maybe someday you can fulfill wishes only your winner can truly comprehend and understand without that little evil twist...disappear until the next war comes.' she told it and it disappeared. She then paid a visit to the Tohsakas to see if her master is alive. She used psychometry on the mansion and learned that Kirei betrayed their sensei and killed him using the very Mystic Code Tokiomi entrusted him with. Yuuri was furious but even if she wanted to, what's done is done. Even if she wanted to avenge him, Kirei is too dangerous and far more skilled than she. She would die a fruitless death and cause her family grief. So she resolved herself to get stronger with her current skills, before learning new things. Once she mastered all of them and got stronger...

She will confront him.

But for now, she has no idea what Kirei is so she snooped around some more in the Tohsaka Estate. From Tokiomi's files and books, she learned all she needed to know. Satisfied, she went home...after sadly avoiding Rin and the now-insane Aoi who was driven mad with grief and trapped herself in a 'world' where her husband is still alive. a 'Tokiomi' only she could see and Rin is...packing her clothes?

Maybe they'll go to the Zenjou...?

xxx

Shibuya Residence...

Her family noticed that Yuuri is working hard in perfecting her skills to the point that she takes shorter times in using her spells and even shorter arias.

'Its good to see her working hard, but I wonder what spurred this on?' Miko wondered aloud, worrying for her daughter who left quickly after having dinner. Since her summer in Fuyuki, Yuuri began training harder than ever, refining herself and she's never satisfied.

'I'm wondering the same.' said Shori worriedly. Yuuri enlisted his help in erecting Barriers that hid magic and magic activity from human eye whether eyes itself or machines such as CCTVs and even Satellites. The latter was a recent development in Atlas last year Tokiomi obtained before his death. With the barriers on, the siblings can train hard in their backyard without worrying about getting unwanted attention. 'But I suppose its a good thing. What's in store for her someday is something she needs all she has in.' he said.

'Yeah...I hope she's still our Yuuri when she gets back.' Miko smiled. 'She'll be fifteen soon...'

'Yeah. Shori's most hated time is fast approaching.' Shoma chuckled. 'Ma ma...I'm sure she'll do great. She's our kid after all!' he said cheerfully.

xxx

Shori watched his sister.

Since her Summer Vacation in Fuyuki, she came back obsessed with training.

Sure, its OK but the reason is unknown.

She's driving and pushing herself hard to the point she gets severe mental stress, greatly worrying him as his nature as a 'guardian'.

What did she find out that drove her to be like this? While she easily mastered the other three Psychic Powers, her greatest difficulty is Psychokinesis, the 'mental superhuman strength and willpower'. Everyday, she goes around abandoned buildings and structures, trying to crush them down with her will, or lift objects her physical body cannot lift. Shori is also doing the same thing, thus there are news media going in a frenzy that abandoned structures are getting destroyed and collapse on their own with no traces of explosives or building-wrecking equipment used whatsoever. They just collapse and fall apart. They often lay low until the media and police are gone.

Lifting, crushing, manipulating...the goal was to do them easily and effortlessly on a whim instead of more than five or ten seconds.

This is the hardest to perfect. Psychic Magic with Psychokinesis as the most difficult to reenact by Thaumaturgy unless one is a natural psychic with natural inborn talent for it.


	3. Plunge into Another World

**A:N= After some serious reconsideration, I have decided to change the plot and rewrite because the way I'm going, I can't continue this!**

* * *

Plunge into Another World

Yuuri at age 15...

After her Summer in Fuyuki City which also means its the start of Second Semester of her final year in Middle School, she...

She just could NOT believe her situation right now, really.

She blinked with her eyes wide open.

'...this does NOT happen to anyone any day.' she choked as she snapped her fingers, instantly spelling herself dry by evaporating the water on her hair, skin, and clothes as well as her schoolbag and things.

xxx

**_Flashback_**

_Yuuri is super-popular in her school for many things; her looks(she's the prettiest girl in school), grades and her charm that she has quite a lot of fangirls in her all-girls' school, and she's also the envy of some girls. Yuuri knew that but she kept her usual routine as she really didn't want conflicts but its them who's starting it. Sure, she's beautiful, academically upstanding and a vice-captain in her school's fencing club and quite popular, but what started the jealousy is this._

_The Kantou Fencing Tournaments. Well, they lost against a school but at least they were in 3rd place, still good enough for the Nationals._

_However, when leaving the premises in their school uniforms as everyone headed to the buses in the parking lots and there's an all-boys and co-ed schools. Of course, Yuuri is easily noticeable and got the attention of the boys...and the next few days later, she was receiving a lot of love letters in her shoe locker. From Boys. Other girls didn't take too kindly to this..._

_And on the way home, somebody pushed her into the river._

**_End Flashback_**

xxx

'But getting shoved into a river seriously does not warrant this!' she swore as she flew up high to see herself in the alps. Waaay high up in the alps. Grassy lands where she is, and snowy mountains quite a distance away.

She didn't know where to go or what to do. But she found a small village not far from where she is. But they all dressed oddly.

No, those odd clothes are normal for them AND she's the odd duck here.

She swore at this as she placed a Hypno Illusion on herself, wearing a blonde hair, brown eyes and a pink dress with brown boots.

She made her way to the village to use Psychometry on and read what works here, and what doesn't. She managed well so far, learning about fashion, money(which she steals by Teleportation), food and lifestyle...but the language is another story entirely...she could not understand their thoughts because their language is...weird. But she DOES know that they fear magic and the color black...

And she has black hair and eyes. Looks like she'll be using Hypno for a bit while longer to hide her black features. It was working well, as she managed to feign muteness and buy dinner from shops by pointing at what she wanted, and how many. And by using Telepathy, she could determine how much and pay for it before leaving. Her luck did not last long however, when she felt a hand on her shoulder causing her to gasp and turn around to see a tall, beefy man dressed like a prince. He's very handsome and an appearance that would make one think he's a football player if not for his princely travel clothes.

He too, spoke in an odd language, asking her questions. By psychometry...he asked her if she's a DEMON. She shook her head. She's a Magus, not a Demon! He snorted and thought she's a liar as he could feel her magic over her form and demanded she better be honest. Fearing for herself, she ran away and the man was chasing her.

She's slightly faster as she's light on her feet and he's seriously wearing a heavy armor and clothes that get in his way. And her form is just an illusion after all! But he sure has one hell of a stamina...he followed her all the way out of the village and soon, he began attacking her with magic out of a red rock that dispelled her hypno illusion on herself, showing her true form. A feared double-black in her school uniform. The man stared at her in astonishment before chuckling and said something.

'Hey! I really can't understand your language and I don't see why you're so interested in me!' Yuuri snarked as she began chanting, 'Form, materialize, engage!' on each word command, water balls formed in the air as water balls and fired at the man who cut the balls with his sword, but on Yuuri's command 'Restraint!', the destroyed water balls became a water rope instead that bound him, but his red rock dispelled her spell. 'Humm...if I get rid of that rock...there's no way for you to defend against me this time!' she cried but the man began summoning fire magic. And it's pretty strong, so she summoned a large torrent of water in return and made it icy cold to withstand the fire and not evaporate as fast. They fired their attacks at each other and all they did in the end is produce steam which Yuuri took advantage of and produced quite a heavy fog.

"Even if that man can get rid of the magic with his rock, even nature will take a while to dissipate and this is fog we're talking about!" Yuuri smirked as when her water was gone, she took the opportunity to teleport away from her opponent, effectively escaping him.

She knows a more skilled enemy when she sees one. She may have mastered her spells but what she lacked in, was battle experience with them.

xxx

Down into the forest, Yuuri suppressed her magical aura when she's far away enough. She didn't even put on her Hypno guise either as its what gave her away to magic-users in the first place. She sighed. This was no dream either. She somehow ended up in a fantasy world. Weird language. Mystic Codes that can dispel magic. She wondered what to do when she noticed...flying skeletons circling above the sky...and for one of them to approach her.

Her eyes widened and...

**KYAAAAAAA!**

Her scream echoed all over the forests, and scaring birds off their perches. Not far from her, a group of men on horseback gasped at the scream where the circle of boneys are.

'Go!' they went to where they are, and the boneys came to them with one of them holding a bag, and the other, a young girl.

'Wait, what's going on here sir?'

'Wasn't the Maou a soukoku boy? That's clearly a girl...'

'That's what I know too. Even the parents told me the Maou's a boy but I think something went wrong...we'll still have to bring her with us somehow. That powerful maryoku surge...is clearly her. Report.' he cpmmanded the boneys that chattered in their teeth...and all of the men sported a deadpan expression. She was found sitting on the highest tree branch and the mere sight of them freaked her out, thinking the boneys were death angels out to kill her and fainted, falling backwards off the branch she was on. Lucky they caught her or she'll _really_ be dead.

xxx

Yuuri woke up on a bed in a cottage. 'Wha?!' she gasped out as she looked around. 'I'm not dead...I'm quite alive after all that.' she groaned. She got off the bed and thought she was dead after seeing 'death agents' but apparently not. And by psychometry, there were two men in the living room. One looked like a beautiful priest with lilac hair and the other, a handsome young man who was somewhat nicer to look at, than the blonde she fought. They were both looking at her school stuff too. She used magic to straighten the creases on her clothes but her magic usage alerted them and she knew that when there's a knock on her door.

'Your majesty...' that threw her off-guard. 'Are you awake and decent?' and they now speak her language!

'I'm not sure about that title because I'm definitely not royalty but yeah, I'm decent.' the two men then went inside her room.

'You're...Yuuri Shibuya, right?' the brunette asked her.

'Yes.' said Yuuri. 'You know me, how?'

'I knew your parents, your majesty.' said the man. 'I am Conrad Weller and he is Gunter von Christ, the Royal Advisor.' he said, introducing themselves. 'You see, 16 years ago, I was on a mission to earth to reincarnate the soul of the Maou into a half-blood mazoku. That was you. With the help of the Maou of Earth, he has determined who would be the rightful family to house your noble soul. He then decided on a family of three. The parents in question was destined to give birth to the successor of Earth. That was your brother Shori. So he decided that you should be in his family as well. Your father is a pureblood soukoku mazoku and your mother a human, thus you siblings are half-bloods.'

'I don't know about us being mazoku...' Yuuri frowned. 'And our parents never said anything about this. We lived normal lives. Going to school, having friends, things like those.'

'Well, that was the plan until its time...but I was the impression that you're supposed to be a boy.' said Conrad. 'The Ultrasound said so when Miko-san was 8 months pregnant.' Yuuri sweatdropped.

'I heard about that.' she said blandly. 'I'm supposed to be a boy so niisan excitedly decorated my nursery. But then there's a phone call from the Hospital. The doctor frantically called that the Ultrasound that day was malfunctioning so it may have showed faulty images and misdiagnosed mother's stomach so they said they should come back three days later or go to another clinic to get a proper testing. And to be double-sure, my parents went to three different clinics for Ultrasound Testing and the results this time are correct: I'm a girl.' their jaws fell. 'And mother said something about a godfather who gave me my name...if you really ARE my godfather, repeat by verbatim what you told mother when you helped her to the hospital.' she said with a grin.

Conrad chuckled at this.

'I told her that in my home country which is this world...I told her that the name Yuuri means 'July'.' Yuuri smiled at him. Gunter gave Conrad a weird look.

'Er Conrad, the word is 'Yuuli'.' he said.

'Yes, but in her country of Japan, there's no letter 'l' that's why I said 'Yuuri'.'

'Oh...'

Yuuri sweatdropped at the men. And that explains her name somehow...

'Well, sorry if I'm not a boy but you probably left home quickly after the hospital said I was a boy.' Yuuri giggled. 'You should have stayed longer!'

'Perhaps, I should have had.' Conrad chuckled.

'So where am I? All I know is I'm in a fantasy world resembling Switzerland somehow.' Yuuri choked out. 'People wearing wearing middle-aged clothes, speaking in a funny language I can understand all of a sudden...and then there's this handsome beefy blonde who thinks I'm a demon just because I can use magic so I fought him in self-defense!' she huffed indignantly. 'And I'm still skeptical about this!'

'Well, can't blame you and we knew you'd react like this somehow.' Conrad said apologetically before the men paused.

'You said you fought a blonde man in self-defense in magic?' Gunter croaked out with wide eyes.

'Yeah.' said Yuuri as she created a hypno illusion of said man the men seemed to know.

'You faced Adelbert and lived?' Conrad choked out and he looked freaked out.

'Well, to be honest I ran away from him.' said Yuuri sheepishly. 'He has a red rock that can somehow dispel magic but not exactly forces of nature. So I created a torrent of ice cold water while he created a torrent of fire. As my water evaporated to become evaporated mist, I used my remaining water to turn make more and escaped him. Even if he dispelled the magic in the air with that rock of his, the fog will remain for a few minutes before dissipating so I ran away with the time I got. I have no experience in battle which he has in spades. I know a losing battle when I see one.' she admitted gloomily.

'That's a good decision heika.' said Gunter. 'Adelbert is indeed, a Master Swordsman and Fire Magic User. And he possesses Houseki which is just as problematic.' he shook his head. 'But...they taught you magic in Earth...?'

Yuuri had to tell them what happened in her childhood.


	4. I'm to be a Queen?

I'm to be a Queen?

Gunter and Conrad could not believe their ears.

The plan strayed a bit because her powers went out of control as a child, and 'the friend' presumably the Maou of Earth recommended she learn under humans who call themselves Magi and learned under a Japanese Noble Clan, the Tohsaka Family. But to Magi, they have something called 'Magic Circuits', something Yuuri does NOT have due to what she is that left her host family baffled. That and she possesses immense powers Magus would die to have that even he was sure she's not human. Because all humans if they ever have potential to be Magi, all have Magic Circuits.

So that should really have been a hint that she and her brother weren't really human. And the things she learned...only two of them was familiar. Healing and Elemental Magic.

'So we're going to Shin Makoku tomorrow?' Yuuri asked her now bodyguards while she cooked dinner. The things they have, was perfect for Chankonabe with a tomato-based sauce.

'Yes. I sent a letter to Gwendal who is your Regent until you take the throne.' said Gunter. 'He'll be ready for us tomorrow. However, your skirt is somewhat...indecent, heika...while its OK if you're sitting down on chairs or standing up, its scandalous when riding a horse!' he said with a slight blush on his face as his imagination ran wild. 'Do Earth schools always make young girls wear such short-skirted uniforms?'

'Yeah, its either this or knee-length skirts.' said Yuuri. 'And since I'm in an all-girls' school, with no male perverts around, this design is normal. But I suppose in a place like this, any skirt above knee-length is indecent I take it.' Conrad and Gunter nodded. 'I just need a lot of blue and white fabric as well as eight matching buttons. I can make my own clothes until we get to the Capital and get by in it. A white silk fabric and blue cotton please. I have some money right here.' she said as she took out twenty silver and ten gold.

'Er your majesty, fabric for a dress costs only 1 silver and silk, being the most expensive costs 2 gold and both nobility and royalty wear silk. Cotton material, unless its an army uniform simply will not do on her majesty.' Gunter pointed out. 'Most things here cost mostly around bronze coins. Especially food. We really should teach you money values soon...' he croaked as she has a lot of money and they weren't sure how she got them.

'So uh...four gold it is?'

'Yes.'

'And how much are the buttons? I hope its not as crazily priced.'

'Don't worry, they're very cheap.' Conrad chuckled. '1 bronze per button.' Yuuri looked floored.

'I don't have any!' she moaned as she looked at her money. 'One silver is too much for eight measly buttons!' she exclaimed in dismay upon hearing value of things here.

'Haha, don't worry, we did bring money on us!'

xxx

Later that night, Yuuri got her requested fabric and buttons after dinner. She fashioned herself a full-body, figure-hugging white dress with long sleeves and frilly sleeves. She then created a blue coat with the remains of the white fabric for trimming and ribbon accessory using Alchemy.

'So this is Alchemy...'

'Yep. But there are rules that involved a lot of Math and understanding of nature and resources in it.' said Yuuri. 'If you try to make something despite having little or too much resources, the Alchemy Magic will rebound on you and the item you're trying to make. Depending on what you're making, it'll vary from mishap to disaster. So to creating things, always have enough requirements and just the right amount or there's hell to pay for. Magi are afraid of Rebound so only those good in mathematical calculations and understanding of resources are brave enough to study Alchemy.' she said warningly as she teleported the clothes on herself, and switched out of her uniform which she folded and put in her bag.

Her choice of outfit however...

Made Gunter rub his eyes while Conrad STARED.

They saw a certain image when she wore that outfit(think Akua Shuzen of RV regarding the blue coat).

'What?' Yuuri blinked, looking at them because she felt their stare.

'N-nothing!'

'Humm...'

xxx

That night, Conrad was thinking on the porch, "They are so alike in some way." he thought with a sad smile. "It's rather scary." on the other hand, Gunter was thinking.

When Yuuri wore the outfit, seeing her in it made it remind him of someone. But the Queen is certainly not this person! They were far too different! Yeah, that's it...

Right?

But something nagged at him.

Her name.

Conrad became her godfather because he named her. He said Yuuri when he meant Yuuli. That's just because Heika's country did not have that letter in it.

And Yuuli...is spelled as **Juli**, meaning 'July'. 'Yuuli' is just _how its pronounced_.

The Queen is a reincarnated noble soul...

Somehow, it clicked.

His eyes widened as he decided to confront Conrad in the porch. 'Conrad! You and I need to talk.' he demanded sternly. 'About heika!'

'What about heika? I don't sense danger.' Conrad pointed out but Gunter pinned him to the wall, an act that surprised him.

'Heika...she's Julia, right?' Gunter growled shakily. 'It all makes sense now! Yuuri-heika is Julia!' Conrad's eyes widened...before chuckling.

'You got me.' he said. 'Yes...Julia...is Yuuri now.' he said. 'She is the soul I was ordered to reincarnate.'

'But why didn't you say anything about this?!' Gunter choked. 'Her family and all who love her have...'

'I know...but Gunter...despite the soul, Julia is Julia...and Yuuri is Yuuri. Even if they have the same soul, they are two entirely different people. That's why its reincarnation.' Conrad told him softly. 'There's only one of us in this world. We can never be replaced. And we can never replace the loved ones who left us with whoever they are reborn.'

'But Shinou-heika chose Julia but she died...' Gunter choked out. 'And she's back as Yuuri.'

'Yes but there are things Julia cannot do that only Yuuri can do. That's why...she chose to die and become Yuuri.' said Conrad with a pained smile. 'She deliberately killed herself by overspending her maryoku in healing in more than what she has to fulfill Shinou-heika's will. I just learned that when I was given the job. And we all thought its that man's fault...'

'Her death...?'

'Yes. Julia...is blind. We all know that.' said Conrad. 'She fears she might make things worse as she cannot see even if she can sense and perceive. What's stopping dubious individuals from lying to gain her approval? Signing documents that may compromise our nation and people or worse, handing the throne to someone else? She feared that even if she has what it takes to be a Queen. Even Adelbert cannot constantly be by her side to protect her. So she went for...Plan B. To become Yuuri even if it meant dying and becoming someone else. Please keep this a secret Gunter.' he told the man who shook and rested his head on Conrad's chest, reeling from the revelation. 'Because those who love Julia will attempt to use Yuuri as a replacement and it will hurt her more than it will hurt them. She's a child who found herself chosen to be Queen and planned out since day one by us and her family while keeping everything a secret...'

'...I understand.' said Gunter softly. 'I'll keep this a secret...especially from Adelbert. And to think he's the first person she met...' he shuddered.

'Fate at work much?' Conrad snorted.

'Scary.' Gunter grimaced. 'Oh, and Conrad?'

'Hm?'

'You really are a devious man, you know that?' came the wry statement from the Advisor before he smiled. 'You named her well.' Conrad smiled a tad too innocently.

'Whatever do you mean?' he said innocently. 'And its her parents who named her well. I just provided the...ahem, base template.' Gunter gave him a rather incredulous look.

'...who on earth names their children 'profitable'?' said Gunter wryly as Conrad told him the translation in Yuuri's school ID.

'Shoma-sama works in a bank. Probably came from there...'

xxx

The next day...

Yuuri was nervous as Conrad helped her up on the horse as she's riding with Gunter since she has no horse riding skills and Conrad has to hold her brown school bag.

'There's no parade...right?' Yuuri asked her godfather. She insisted on absolutely NO parade as she doesn't do well in being in front of an audience and center of attention. In Fencing, she can handle it thanks to her mask as her mask allows only tunnel vision on her opponent but not like that! So she asked to come in incognito much to Gunter's dismay. But its the Maou's wish so they have no say in it.

'Don't worry, we'll sneak in as you wish.' Conrad chuckled. 'Why and what for though?'

'Let's face it, I'm a total blank and zero. I know nothing about ruling a country.' Yuuri deadpanned dryly. 'Don't you think that before I tell people I exist, I should learn the ropes first so that way I can manage in my own way after expectations are heaped on me? Heck, I don't even know how to read and write this country's language!' she reasoned out.

'I guess you make a point.' Gunter admitted. She truly is Julia's reincarnation. Julia, being blind had to learn by oral teaching and learning to use her other senses to get by. Thus she did not know how to read or write but educated in everything else. Had she been someone else's reincarnation who wasn't blind, the spell Gunter used on her while she slept should have made her able to understand more than just their language. So they rode for the city that took until mid-afternoon where they stopped by for a break for water because the horses are getting thirsty by their heavy breathing. So they stopped by a river with Yuuri blocking the river with ice to make a water basin for the horses, and make the water cold for a better feel of refreshment.

While they relaxed however, a young village girl with pink hair and eyes approached Yuuri with a friendly smile, giving her water. 'Huh? For me?' she blinked as she took the water and used psychometry on it.

"...blessed water for Water Magic?" she thought in surprise. "So there's a Mystic Code like this..." she thought as she drank it and thanked the girl by giving her the candies she had from her bag and the girl ran off.

'Heika?' Gunter blinked as he saw a girl run away from them.

'...she gave me blessed magic water for better Water Magic for some reason and had me drink it.' said Yuuri. 'I checked with Psychometry. I had no idea such a treasure existed and here she is, giving such a precious thing away so easily.' she said in sheer disbelief, shaking her head. 'Its just sad all I could give in return are candies from my school bag...' she said rather sulkily. 'A rather poor way of paying her back.'

'Magic Water you said...'

'Yeah. The water felt...like nature itself more than that water from the river.' said Yuuri. 'And when I drank it, I felt I gained more control in my element that I reached my Mastery.'

'I see...she is most likely under orders to give you a Water Contract with Water Spirits.' Gunter told her. 'We Mazoku obtain elemental magic by making a pact with Elemental Spirits who aid us with their elemental powers.' he said. Yuuri then looked thoughtful.

'Oh, so that's how it works here and now I have a contract...'

After they rested for an hour, they continued their journey to Shin Makoku, to the castle. Its a fairly undercover trip with no one the wiser that the Queen just came to the country.

Just the way Yuuri likes it.

She hated attention and hated unwanted ones even more.

xxx

The Castle...it was on top of a huge mound of rock with a smoothened rocky pathway to the castle. And its ancient because well...its ancient history, duh.

And for some reason, Gunter and Conrad are sneaking her into the castle with everyone collaborating about it, until they reached the third floor.

'Ano...why are we sneaking around?' Yuuri asked them with a baffled expression on her face.

'Well, there's one thing we, your advisors have an important thing to do.' said Conrad with a forced smile. 'We will get you at dinnertime so please do not come out until then.' and they ran off.

Yuuri watched them go.

'...they're being weird. Really now.'


	5. Royal Dinner

Royal Dinner

'...so you got her back.' said a tall, beefy man who looks older than he seems, clad in green uniform. He, like everyone, thought of the Queen as a BOY until he got Gunter's letter that revealed the Maou is a GIRL. And this Maou already knows magic so she's really not-so-defenseless. And she took things in stride because she had to deal with the 'supernatural' as she grew up, which strayed a bit from 'the plan'. Oh well, dealing with this girl may be far easier than she would have been, if the plan stayed through. She didn't easily accept the fact that she's a Queen just yet though. For her, it's a stretch. She only accepted that she's not as human as she believed all her life because she lacked Magic Circuits that humans gain when they become Magi to gain access to Magic.

'Yes.' said Gunter. 'We got her stay in the Maou's Bedroom and not come out until dinner. Who else has read my letter?'

'Well...mother and Wolfram of course.' said the man. 'Mother frequently visits and Wolfram is another of her retinue. Then there's Gisela as she is the Castle Healer.' the two men sighed in relief.

'So shall we proceed to THAT, Gwendal?' Conrad asked the green-clad man called Gwendal stiffly.

'Yes...while I still have my apower as Regent. If the Queen shows up and is seen, I'll lose that power to kick him out as he kisses up to her to make him stay and we don't want that. And a repeat of twenty-five years ago.' he said gruffly.

xxx

In her room, Yuuri was thinking.

They were hiding her from someone for some reason and they're trying to get rid of that person before she can come out.

She knew that and she didn't even need to use Psychometry for it. It must be something that they needed to hide her first as seeing her might muck things up. For now, she'll trust her retainers and ask later. After all, she can defend herself. But there's something more to this than meets the eye.

She knew and felt that somehow.

She sighed.

She wondered what the hell happened here before whoever she used to be died to become her. For now, she located the bathrooms to take a bath and wash her clothes with whatever soap that was in there, and be back here in a jiffy. For one, she got thrown into a river, then stayed in a forest and then sweat quite a bit while traveling so she has body odor by now...

She located the bathrooms that looks quite...luxurious.

She quickly stripped herself, washed her clothes before bathing herself. It feels really great to be fully refreshed again, that's for sure! She then dried and pressed her clothes before drying herself but let her hair stay damp.

All in a day's work of sneaking out, before going back to her room where she decided to take a nap to kill time. Then again, when she lied down on her bed, all excitement and adrenaline rush caught up to her and her body whined on how tired she is, so sleeping...is an option. She put an alarm boundary field to wake her if anyone knocked on her doors.

Three hours later, someone did.

xxx

Gunter came to wake her up, but as soon as he knocked on the door, his first contact with the wooden door with his knuckles caused him to feel magic that dispelled itself and a sleepy 'Yes?' called out from inside.

'Er, my apologies that I disturbed your slumber heika, but its dinnertime...and its safe to come out now.'

'In two seconds.' indeed in that time, the door was open and she's dressed. But still looks sleepy. 'Hey, is whatever you were getting rid of done now?' Gunter slightly balked but his self-composure hid it well.

'Yes but...'

'Its something big isn't it?' Yuuri sighed. 'I felt it when everybody practically moved just to hide me from something...or some_one_.' Gunter inwardly flinched. 'Perhaps people will be ready to tell me someday if its that big. All I know is what I feel and what I felt from everyone.'

'Perhaps, someday indeed.' said Gunter kindly and softly. Reincarnation, different person or not, some thing just stays. 'Do you wish for a bath or some...wait, how did you find the bathroom?' he said, sniffing the air around her as she smelled fragrant and fresh.

'I located through Psychometry and since I'm in hiding, I just wished myself in the bathroom and lucky no one came.' Yuuri grinned playfully. 'I'll go there again to freshen up a bit. It won't do to appear sleepy in dinner...be back here in two minutes,' and she was gone before his eyes.

'I think we really need to learn her kind of magic.' Gunter mused to himself with a sweatdrop. That would have been convenient. Indeed, in two minutes, she's back and they walked to the Dining Room together.

xxx

First Floor Corridors...

'Er Gunter...there's gonna be other people besides you and ojisan, right?' Yuuri asked him nervously. 'Are they nice?' she asked hopefully.

'Well...there's your predecessor the 26th, Cecilie von Spitzberg.' said Gunter. 'She's also the mother of the current Regent, Gwendal von Voltaire, Conrad and Wolfram von Bielefeld. All three of them are half-brothers from marriages chosen and approved of by Shinou-heika. Once the othe r two accepts you as their Queen, they'll be nicer. But for now they wish to see your worth as Queen...but most importantly, just be yourself.' he said kindly.

'OK...'

And so, here they are, at the dining room. There, besides Conrad, were three different people and she guessed who they are. It was easy to tell. And her predecessor wore a dress fit for a _ballroom dance marathon_. The others were in military uniforms at least. And there's three maids present so no doubt the rumor mill will run soon.

'She's the new Maou?! She's so cute!' the blonde woman, Cecilie squealed excitedly as she stood up from her chair to approach her. 'Hello dear, I'm your predecessor!' she chirped cheerfully. 'I'm Cecilie von Spitzberg but just call be Celi if you like!'

'Nice to meet you as well, von Spitzberg-kyou, von Voltaire-kyou, von Bielefeld-kyou.' said Yuuri politely. 'I'm Yuuri Shibuya...just a school girl who's suddenly told she's a Queen as of 18 hours ago.' she smiled, but she spoke rather, politely sarcastic. '...well, Queens are made, not born to be one unless we're bees so I have to learn how.' she said snarkily while remaining polite. Gunter KNEW she used to be an old friend because she too, speaks like this when she's somewhat displeased.

'Very true, dear.' Celi chuckled as they led her to her seat.

'Well, I'd like to start by hearing expectations.' said Yuuri. 'So at least I'd know what to do...and von Voltaire-kyou, I heard you've been my Regent for quite some time?' she asked Gwendal curiously.

'Yes, what of it, heika?' Gwendal answered her.

'I'll try my best to learn this world's language, laws and economics as quickly as I can so I would like to ask you to hang on until then.' Yuuri requested. 'Then I'll take my workload off you and you'll have a one month off paid vacation _in complete, stress-free relaxation_ before you resume your normal duties if you would like?' she offered. Gwendal looked taken aback by this.

'For someone who found herself saddled with the job unexpectedly, you're quite ready to take on the reins,' Gwendal commented thoughtfully. Yuuri rather shook her head.

'Well, apparently I'm reincarnated for the job so in a way you can say I was born to be Maou but I still don't believe that nonsense.' said Yuuri. 'Queens are raised and educated for the job, something I wasn't even if I was born for it.' she told him before looking at Gunter. 'Gunter-sensei, I'm counting on you.' Gunter smiled.

'You can count on me heika.' Gunter nodded.

'Nee ojisan, how long does it take to learn this world's language?' Yuuri asked Conrad. 'Compare to English in Earth.'

'Compared to English in Earth eh?' Conrad looked thoughtful. 'I'd say difficulty rate is 7/10 because English is too easy.' said Conrad. 'If I'd compare our language to one of Earth's many languages, I'd compare it to Japanese or Korean Language.' Yuuri inwardly blanched.

'...yikes.'

'Heika, how long did it take you to learn Japanese as a child?' Conrad inquired, noting the 'yikes' she said.

'I'd say six months until I got to intermediate-level grammar and that was because my brother tutors me at home right after school just so I'd be ahead of my classmates during my childhood...so maybe I'll have to extend von Voltaire-kyou's vacation into two months.' Yuuri sighed with her left eyebrow visibly twitching.

'Er...your majesty, as much as I'd appreciate your offer of Vacation, I cannot leave my duty regarding security and the country's intelligence network.' said Gwendal. 'Rest assured its not much compared to ruling the country.'

'Oh, alright but I better not see you overworking and staying up too late during your vacation period because I'm serious...and we Healers _mean it or you're in **trouble**, mister_.' Yuuri chuckled with a dark, threatening smile that caused the nobles to sweatdrop. Then the comically dark aura quickly disappeared as Yuuri turned to the other blonde. 'And what does von Bielefeld-kyou do in the castle?'

'Well, as the representative of my family, we are also the main suppliers of seafood to the capital and I'm keeping watch over that.' said Wolfram. 'And I am also tasked to be your bodyguard alongside Weller.' he explained.

'I see...and what does my predecessor do?'

'Since I'm pretty-much free to do as I want now, I'm on a quest for free love, dear.' Celi smiled as Yuuri blinked. 'It gets quite lonely so I want to get married again.'

'Mother!' Wolfram chided.

'Maa maa, don't you want a cute little brother or sister?' Celi giggled. 'I have sons so I want a girl to spoil for a change!' Gwendal pinched his nose, Conrad looked amused while Wolfram twitched.

"I think if these two ever meet, she and my mom will get along splendidly." Yuuri thought wryly. At least she got along well with everyone...after dinner, She's taken to her would-be office as Gwendal currently occupies it, being her Regent.

'By the way heika...something bothers me about you.' said Wolfram bluntly. 'You reincarnated and assuming Gunter roused the memory of our language from the memory of your soul, how come you're illiterate? Shouldn't literacy come with it?' he pointed out.

'Well, I only know how to speak and understand but nothing about literacy.' Yuuri shrugged. 'I have no idea that's supposed to happen.' she said thoughtfully.

'But its what's in her memories Wolfram. Its all that came out and my spell worked perfectly fine.' Gunter pointed out. And he's one of Shin Makoku's best magic users so they don't doubt his claims. But this IS puzzling to the nobles.

To Conrad and Gunter, this is no surprise, really.

'Erm...about the branches of Magic I heard you have in knowledge of...' Celi coughed out the awkwardness...

'Oh, I guess you guys got curious...but I only have 7/100 of the many Magus Arts in Earth...if I'd wanna learn all of them, I have to be immortal and sadly I'm not nor do I wish to be one anyway.' Yuuri snorted. 'I'm not like those cold jerks.'

'I take it you dislike Magi, heika?' Celi blinked.

'I HATE them and the only thing likeable about them is Magic and Magic is fun if one sees how wonderful it is!' Yuuri cried irritably. 'Otherwise I see them as a miserable existence! All they care about is magic, knowledge, power, and doing all means and research just to reach the soul of The World to obtain all knowledge the world has to offer and become Magicians! There's no room for _actually_ living and enjoying life! Heck, familial love is the last thing on their minds even, marrying is just for the sake of family bloodlines surviving! I lived with such a family for three freaking years its no wonder their kids grow up like them!'

And after that, Conrad had to take turns with Gunter writing about the magic she knew starting by branches.

And she had to show an example of Bio-PK...using Gwendal by 'healing' the wrinkles and eyebags on his face, thus he _actually looked his age_ much to everyone's astonishment. Bio-PK became Celi's new favorite magic and practically wanted to learn it so she could manage her beauty anytime. But to do so, she has to learn Psychometry and Teleportation first because Teleportation is needed to get 'unwanted parts out' and Psychometry is needed to 'look for them' along with knowing your body well so studying anatomy is also a must.

Needless to say, the former Queen stuck around...


	6. First Case: Burning Village

First Case: Burning Village

That next day, Yuuri's lessons in Literacy started under Gunter. She started learning the Alphabet with Gunter struggling NOT to teach her how to spell her real name that Conrad gave her because said name is dangerous. When she asked how July is spelled, he told her this.

'Yuuri is better to hear in the ears than Yuuli, heika.' Gunter chuckled jovially. 'Can you bear listening to others call you that?' Yuuri frowned thoughtfully. She thought of what could bes if she is being called 'Yuuli'(she's unaware of how it's spelled).

'I guess you're right...the origin of my name sounds weirder than my Japanese name...ah well.' Yuuri snorted. She's trying hard to memorize the letters to the point she's willing to stoop to repetition learning...and get started with Grammar already. And the Mazoku Alphabet has 30 letters. The letters, she managed to memorize quickly but what came next is another story entirely. Grammar and actually writing using said letters.

"Seriously, fate should give me a break." Yuuri thought sourly. She knows Japanese Hiragana, Katakana, Furigana and Kanji, Latin alphabet for English, Runic Script and now THIS.

She's not a computer memory file dammit. But she hid her growing ire because she has a responsibility now and she feared she may have to ditch her life and family...for this.

She wondered if she could ever at least, go home for quite some time. And her predecessor is quite, the determined person when it comes to what she wants. Beauty Treatments and she saw her brand of magic as 'self-maintenance'. If she could make Gwendal actually look his damn age(when before treatment, he looked older than his mother), what more for her? Even with age lines and slight eyebags, the mazoku adults were still beautiful. Wolfram, being a teenager, did not have such age lines nor does Conrad and Gunter but they did have the bags. Their work makes them stay up late after all and get little sleep...

So she pretty much offered the same treatment to the others and since she has lessons, they kept her...abilities SECRET because she needs to learn the ropes instead of tending to everyone's vanity.

But three days later...

'...did ojisan and von Voltaire-kyou sleep in?' Yuuri asked Celi.

'Well they went out early dear.' said Celi. 'Something about work.'

'Work, you say?' Yuuri mused when she saw a thin string of smoke rising from the sky from her seating position. 'You mean..._that_?' Gunter, Celi and Wolfram flinched. 'Oh, I see...shall we take a look?'

'Y-your majesty no!' Gunter cried. 'Conrad insisted that you must not come out just yet!'

'Ara, I think I need a situational debriefing now Gunter-sensei.' said Yuuri, sipping her tea. '_Please_.' she said with a dark smile with an illusion of a shadow with red eyes looming from behind her, causing the lilac-haired man to meep, and the other women and Wolfram to sweatdrop.

'Er, you see, there's this human village not far from here.' said Gunter, fidgeting a bit. 'They took refuge in our lands because of the war and they stayed since. And that area happens to be fertile so they constantly get large harvests some of which, they give to Shin Makoku as part of their taxes by 50% while they keep the other 50 which Gwendal allowed since the harvests are constantly big every harvest season. Unfortunately, other villages have heard about this...'

'So they decided to attack and pillage this year...right?' Yuuri frowned. 'And by that smoke, they need backup so I think breakfast can wait a bit.' she said as she stood up. 'Shall we go?'

'Ehhhhh?!'

'C'mon, let's go! von Spitzberg-kyou, I'm counting on you to hold the fort!'

xxx

And so on horseback...

'How come you're the only one flying?!' Wolfram sputtered as they were escorted by Wolfram's subordinates, all of whom are around his age range...and good-looking to boot!

'Well, I don't know how to ride yet obviously and riding with one of you will slow us down out of passenger consideration and time is something we don't have, that's why I'm flying!' Yuuri said snarkily. 'Gunter, did they send reports on who attacked the village?'

'Yes, they said they were led by a magic user but identity unknown as of yet heika.' said Gunter. 'He hides himself well which somehow worries me.'

'A seasoned magic user...and you told me humans use Houseki to temporarily have magic to counter us right?'

'Yes. So maybe...' upon arrival to the village, it was already passed noon by the time we arrived, and the village was ablaze. Houses and fields. It was a considerably hot fire; even the clouds were dyed red. The soldiers ran around to prevent the shower of flames from reaching the forest, and the villagers were all lumps together away from the fence. Yuuri flared her powers to gather a lot of water from the atmosphere that instantly formed a gigantic blob of water above the village, and it rained cold water.

'Waaaaah its too cold your majesty!' Gunter, Wolfram and the subordinates yelped at the cold water.

'Hey its to quickly put out fires!' Yuuri reasoned as she strengthened the shower until the fires are put out. 'Everyone spread out! Assist Weller-kyou and von Voltaire-kyou in arresting those responsible immediately! I want all of them as soon as possible!' she barked out her orders.

'Yes ma'am!' the horsemen ran off, leaving Yuuri to run into the village by herself to assess the damages and set to repairing homes and structures using Elementary Repair Magic.

'You seem to be doing well, little girl.' Yuuri blanched as she turned to see Adelbert.

'You again?!' Adelbert raised an eyebrow.

'You pulled a fast one on me the last time. So I heard that there's a case of mistaken identity and a young soukoku GIRL is the Maou, not the boy we all expected. And are you being a Queen...or just another puppet on the throne?' he sneered darkly. Yuuri frowned.

'...you hate mazoku?'

'Hate? Heh, I loathe their existence.' Adelbert sneered. 'I hate them to death. Their ways disgust me. So I came to save you from their filthy hands. How pitiful, a sacrifice from another world, you should hurry and leave this place.' he said. 'You were suddenly brought to another world, and coerced into being the new Maoh, right? The Maoh is the enemy of humans. This world has become corrupted and fallen into ruin because of his heinous existence. You look like a young human with good intentions to be made out to be such a monster. Well, isn't that too much? Don't you think that's cruel?' he questioned her causing her to sigh.

'...someone here who's supposed to be the true 27th died before that person could sit on the throne.' said Yuuri. 'That person's soul is taken by ojisan to reincarnate in my world to become me to become the 27th...and I was born to become the Maou even though I, the current self has no say in it.' she said. 'All my life I believed I was human...until there was a grand plan in my life I discovered and my family was in on it. There's mazoku in Earth too apparently...and I'm the only one out of the loop. I admit I wasn't too happy about that. I discover I'm half human. My father is a pureblood and my brother a half-blood. I go to school, have friends and worry about being a teenager...and then I ended up here. Apparently I'm born to be Maou but I don't believe that.' she told him. 'A good Maou is taught and raised. And I want to believe in the people around me. My family who's made to raise me...and the retainers chosen for me...I want to believe in them.'

'They need a sacrifice.' the older man scoffed. 'They have to set up a Maou on the throne. A pure girl who doesn't know anything can't pose any resistance, which is good for them. All men hostile towards mazoku will be made to hate their leaders. That's the only reason for your existence.' Yuuri shook at this.

'That may also be true...but either way, I'm here already ojisan. I can't turn back now.' she said softly. 'You tell me to go back home to my world and how?' she chuckled, shaking her head in a rather amused smile. 'Not even I know how I got here...so for now I have to do something. I'll do what I can do as the Maou. The people are my priority and I don't care if they hate me or not for simply being different!' she cried as she maximized her power to repair several buildings at once. 'As a Queen...the people will always come first! Please tell me...who started this?'' she questioned him in a compelling voice when she froze and quickly turned back as she saw shadowed men from the trees. 'There!' she gasped as she raised her arms and used Psychokinesis to forcefully gather them together, and trap them neck-deep in a mound of earth. Adelbert whistled.

'Looks like you're not-so-ignorant since you can use magic, little princess.' he remarked. 'Don't you know? Last year there was a record setting crop and those guys increased taxes. They collected this year using the same calculations and so there was nothing left to eat. There were only two choices; starve or get more supplies. They asked for my advice. So I told them. Their neighboring village was here in the land of the mazoku that they should hate. Their god will not be angry if they steal from people who cultivate on mazoku land, and live on mazoku soil. They won't be charged with the serious crime of stealing from their neighbors.' Yuuri stared at Adelbert incredulously.

'But the people here are also humans!' Yuuri gasped out in disbelief but Adelbert shrugged.

'No, to them they aren't the same anymore.' he said with a rather amused, twisted smile. 'This village has humans who side with the mazoku. People who side with the mazoku aren't considered their fellow humans anymore. They also consider them mazoku now.'

'You've got to be kidding me?!' Yuuri choked out in dismay as she threw the men she captured a look of disbelief. 'I can't believe this...this...this stupid way of thinking! So they justify doing crimes as OK because they're doing it against people they don't like?!'

'I'm afraid so heika...and STAY AWAY FROM HER, ADELBERT!' Conrad and Gwendal came to back her up. 'Why did you come here, heika?!'

'I came here to see how things while providing back-up support...and I happened to see him again.' Yuuri said wryly. 'Looks like we're not fighting this time.'

'You ran away from me last time.' Adelbert deadpanned.

'Do I have a choice given circumstances?' Yuuri frowned. 'Next time I will not run!' Adelbert laughed rather hollowly as he got his horse ready.

'One way or another, I'll come for you, little 'puppet' Queen! One day you'll see I'm right all along! Hahahaha!' and with that, he left.

'...what did he tell you, heika?' Gwendal asked her a bit concerned because he didn't like what Adelbert said just now.

'...I'm not a puppet...right?' Yuuri croaked out, whimpering shakily as various scenarios raced through her mind. 'H-he said that...' now the brothers wondered what exactly did Adelbert tell her.

'...Adelbert has issues.' Conrad told her as he hugged her reassuringly. 'You're not anyone's puppet. You are to make your own decisions...and your will is ours. And what is your will, Yuuri?' he asked her kindly. 'And what do you believe in as a Queen?'

'W-well, the welfare of the people and the country of course!' Yuuri burst out and by this time, she's crying and the two brothers can see how Adelbert affected her, causing her to have doubts. 'I'm not a Queen out for power or luxury like I read in books!'

'And that, is your will.' said Gwendal. '_Nobody_ decided that for you. That's something you yourself wanted, thus you are not a puppet. Ignore Adelbert. He has his reasons to hate mazoku and wants to take it out on you as you are our Maou. But as long as you know yourself better and your abilities, he can never shake your faith in yourself and your ability as Queen. And right now, you came here on your own free will to back us up and help the people. That's not something a puppet would do.' he patted her head. 'Its your own wish.' he reassured her. She's clearly troubled with what the blonde man told her and it shook her.

'And I take it you captured some of them on your own?' Conrad mused, impressed as there's some men buried up to their necks in a mound of earth. By psychokinesis no doubt as he doesn't sense Earth Magic... 'Wolfram's subordinates reported that they arrested some people raiding the stores so these guys are likely...'

'Here to kill the villagers whom they condemned to be one of us by association in a bid to take this land and make it so that its human land from now on.' said Yuuri softly. 'I found that out and I don't even need interrogation for that. And Adelbert...helped them out a bit.'

'He WHAT?!'

xxx

At the tents...

There were injured villagers being healed by Military Healers which were mostly...women. Stereotypical much?

'This is everyone?' Yuuri asked them.

'Yes. Those who were injured that is.' said Gwendal. 'But they'll be fine soon and we're reclaiming what was stolen from the villagers. They didn't get that far so the stolen grain will be given back to them.'

'That's...good to hear.' said Yuuri softly. 'But what about those guys?' she asked him. 'Adelbert said that they were overtaxed so much they didn't have anything left so they decided to steal from our people and since he hates us, he decided to help them out.'

'By stealing from us.' Gwendal scoffed. 'If there's anyone to blame, its their landlord for being so greedy. Bad leaders result in unhappy people and we got us a fine example. Human men are greedy and this is the result of their actions. We will put security around here soon. We always do that. Just that...they came early this time.'


	7. Depression and Recovery

Depression and Recovery

After that incident, Yuuri refused to see anybody that day.

'Where's heika?' Celi asked her sons. 'Isn't she with you?'

'She went on ahead here after helping out at the village.' said Gunter. 'She single-handedly put out the fire and repaired the village as if nothing happened but...'

'But?'

'Adelbert.' said Conrad. 'He called her a puppet, causing her to doubt herself and the people around her so she's sulking for now.' he said with a sad smile. Celi deflated at that. That comment...was meant for her, not Yuuri and she knows that.

'He what?!' Wolfram yelped with wide eyes. 'I didn't hear about that!'

'Now you did.' Gwendal snarked. 'She'll be in a bad mood for now. Adelbert affected her terribly even though we said otherwise. After all, she decided her actions herself and nobody suggested she go there to aid us. Her actions and words are her own and that's what's important.'

'I wish she'll believe that...the village we rescued was deeply impressed with her and see her as a good queen.' said Gunter with a sad smile. 'And a good queen she should be. She made it clear to Adelbert about her beliefs as a Queen and some villagers heard her. This is good publicity for her as well so the humans who came to refuge in our lands will see us in a new light. That we are not...the monsters they see us to be.'

'I hope Yuuri sees that.' said Celi with a sigh. 'She's on her way to becoming a Queen and this is just the first step.' she said softly. 'Being a leader is a path of sharp stones and rocky roads...'

xxx

In her room, Yuuri is indeed, sulking by herself, dressed in just her school shirt and underwear.

'...puppet...a doll on strings...' Yuuri mumbled as she pictured a wooden doll on strings. '...maybe he's right and maybe he's wrong. Ojisan would never allow me to be a puppet...my parents trust him...and the Maou of Earth trusts him...I'd say that's endorsement...I think. But what's about the people around me? Will I be a puppet...or will I be a good Queen?' around dinnertime, she came out and teleported to the side of her uncle upon locating him.

'Feel better now, heika?' Conrad asked her but he earned pinches from both his cheeks complete with yanking both cheeks apart. 'Itetete!'

'Ojisan! You're my uncle and I'm your frigging niece! Don't be so damn formal!' Yuuri scolded and this is quite a sight to nearby soldiers on guard duty. 'Yuuri! Don't call me heika!'

'OK OK!' Yuuri let him go and Conrad rubbed his cheeks. 'Mou...but are you feeling better now?'

'Yeah...I had the whole day and a grumbling stomach to think about it.' said Yuuri as she stood beside him. 'Being Queen is pretty tough if even family has to call you 'heika'. It feels really lonely so don't do that. I don't care what everyone thinks about it. Besides, my parents seems to like you a lot.'

'Eh? They like me even though we knew each other only for only a year?' Conrad blinked incredulously.

'Yeah...dad told me stories about how he met a beautiful man who looks like a prince, a person his boss asked him to meet for important business...but his good looks were wasted on him because he always wears this expression as if he's so constipated.' Conrad face-faulted while Yuuri giggled. 'So he scolded this man, saying, 'If you're going to be my child's godfather, don't show her that face!' At that time, Mom must have told him that because you named me while helping her to the hospital, making you my godfather.'

'Well...things happened before I went to earth...and I'm still sore about it.' said Conrad softly. 'So I guess I am frowning most of the time.'

'I'm not gonna ask...I can't ask that you forget something like that either but ojisan...if you don't move forward you'll be unhappy forever.' said Yuuri softly. 'I don't want you to stay as you are. Move forward and be happy. The past may suck but there's a lot of reasons to be happy. Things you enjoy, people around you who'll be there for you...that's why even I can bounce back after Adelbert said those things to me. Practice what you preach after all.'

'Heee...'

'Nee, ojisan...'

'Hm?'

'I'll be a good Queen, right? I won't be alone?'

'You won't, Yuuri.' Conrad reassured her as he patted her head. 'Even if everybody leaves you, I won't. I'm family after all.' he promised her. 'But there is one thing I admit.'

'What is it?'

'I made that mistake of leaving family because that person became so far away...I don't want to repeat that mistake with you. That mistake cost all of us a huge price. Its a story for another time.' he said with a strained smile. Yuuri smiled.

'Well, you're moving forward already.' said Yuuri. 'They teach us big lessons. Mistakes. Its so we won't repeat them ever again.'

xxx

'Gunter, has heika come out yet?' Celi asked Gunter who was in the library, choosing books.

'I felt her maryoku.' said Gunter. 'She teleported outside and somewhere in the castle...most likely to Conrad.' he said. 'She would go to him first because he is her only family in this world, as he's made her godfather by her parents.'

'Godfather eh?' Celi smiled. 'Then again he is of age that he can start having kids.' Gunter shut his book with a loud noise with a somber look on his face.

'...you don't know Conrad, Celi-sama.' he said sadly. 'He would never marry. Hero he may be...an accomplished man, a skilled swordsman second only to me, born from an excellent lineage...he is indeed an ideal man to marry for any woman but the issue is his blood. Would a human woman or mazoku woman love him the way he is? It would be a miracle if he does find a man or woman who would truly love him and start a family together. He can never have what he truly wants most. A family. As his teacher who watched him during all his years at the Academy...I know his pain well.' he said as Celi deflated. 'If he ever meets a person who truly loves him, he would never let go even if he would pay a big price for it. He is someone who would fight for what we normally take for granted as a result. Love. Friends. Happy marriage and family.'

'You should have seen his face when heika talked how her family remembers him and likes him.' Gunter continued with a sad smile. 'Heika's father is a pureblood soukoku. Her mother is a human. Two beings who would normally despise half-bloods but they didn't. He was welcomed with open arms. His true desire is in Earth. Acceptance. Something he would be hard-pressed to get here no matter how accomplished he gets or how his social status improves. Its all he wanted. Acceptance and a place he could truly belong without anyone being disgusted by him simply for being what he is, a half-blood.'

'B-but he belongs here!' Celi choked out. 'And I'm his mother and you're his teacher...we're both purebloods but we cared for him! We didn't care about his blood, we cared for Conrad!' she burst out.

'Yes but the war years ago destroyed those bonds when his brethren's honor were questioned.' said Gunter. 'It was like he had nobody again if not for Yozak, his only friend left in this world. If Yozak did not survive the War of Luttenberg or if he survived but Conrad died in the battlefield...whoever survived would kill himself than be alone in a world like this.' Celi burst into tears, clearly upset. 'But his hope is here...in heika. If she builds a world where boundaries between blood are broken...a world where half-bloods like them can belong and be happy...only then can Conrad be truly happy once her majesty creates such a world with our support. Conrad and Yozak will no longer be alone.'

xxx

Kitchens...

'Uhhh Yuuri? Why are we cooking?' Conrad sweatdropped as they were in the kitchens, cooking together. On the stove is an already-boiling pot of water.

'Well I'm the only one who hasn't eaten yet and I'm not strong enough to cut the meat up.' Yuuri moped. 'I can only cut fish and vegetables! Meat is too tough and I'm not yet that good with psychic cutting yet!' she grumbled as she cut fish after an easy deboning and scaling as well as removing entrails so she's effortlessly cutting fish pieces and brushing them with vinegar.

'Hai hai, I'll cut the meat up...so what will you have? This looks like a dinner at least two men could eat...' Conrad sweatdropped as he's chopping some beef shanks for her and getting the meat off bones. But she also wanted the bones for some reason...so after cutting the meat up, he washed the bones before putting it in the boiling water as instructed.

'Humm...I want beef soup with some sashimi.' said Yuuri. 'Did you have some in Earth?'

'Yes...I never thought raw fish could be edible and more filling than cooked fish either. It also tastes good as sushi with some soy sauce.' said Conrad sheepishly. 'But of course, there's things to watch out for.'

'Yep. The fish are safe as long as I checked on them so don't worry!' soon, Yuuri cooked her dinner that she shared with Conrad even if he already ate...and they left instructions for the maids the next day.

xxx

Next day...

Breakfast is totally different for Yuuri and Conrad. A typical Japanese breakfast for them and instead of rice, its a huge bowl of soup. There's even slices of raw fish!

'Er...?' Gwendal blinked. While he, his mother and younger brother and Gunter have the usual, the Queen and her bodyguard has it different.

'Maa maa, ignore the little details or you'll get more wrinkles~!' Yuuri chiped cheerfully as she and Conrad took out two sticks...and ate their food with said sticks.

'...how the hell do they eat with sticks...?' Wolfram sweatdropped when the two made it so effortless. And under that light smear of soy sauce...is that _raw fish?_


	8. Return Home and a new Palace!

Return Home and a new Palace!

'So heika, given the situation, we will start literacy lessons first before Economics.' said Gunter after breakfast. 'And after Economics it would be Law and Politics as well as Culture, Geography, Music, Art with History last. We have a thousand books in History, we'll never get done.' Yuuri looked scared for her life with a pale blue shade on her pallor. 'That's why I decided to put History last.' he chuckled, noting her expression.

'R-right...' she squeaked. Gunter could only shake his head. According to Conrad, kids that grew up in Earth **hate** History lessons as it puts them to sleep and make them too groggy for the next class that happens to be...Math or some class they hate. He was the one to suggest to put History last thus or the young Queen wouldn't last in his class.

'So right this way to the library, your classroom heika~! And in Language, Conrad will help us out a bit...at least until you memorize the Alphabet and Numbers.'

And Yuuri devoted the next three months in studying mazoku language...and then when those months passed by, she also helped out in the new magic techniques and knowledge she gave away. She was almost done when...while aiming to take a bath in the bathroom that morning, she slipped and fell into the hot pool...

But she knew she's taken.

'Not agaaain!'

And when she came to, she was on the road, not on the filthy river, polluted by trash. But still soaking wet from her 'trip'.

Growling, she looked around carefully using her spatial cognition and upon sensing there's no CCTVs, she teleported home.

'I'm home again after three months...but...' Yuuri twitched as she looked at the calendar. 'The day here hasn't changed at all!' the date was still September 3, The day she was gone. Shaking her head, she went upstairs to get changing out of her queenly clothes and took a real shower before wearing her casual things.

'Hahah, I almost miss these things~!' she chirped as she wore casual. She wore a yellow shirt with a cute cat print and a denim layered miniskirt and re-familiarized herself with Earth again. She missed her home after...three months of language skills training.

'Oh Yuu-chan, back so early?' Shori asked her as he came home from College.

'Nee niisan, I need a favor from you.' said Yuuri, quickly going to her brother who's an...otaku.

'Hm? What favor?'

'Can you research anime and game characters for me that has the cutest queen and princess outfits for me and have the pictures printed? Yuuri asked him. 'We have a play coming up and we need a suitable outfit to get made!' she chirped out her lie. 'I don't know about these things!'

'Hai hai, as soon as I get my homework done.' said Shori with a grin. 'So who plays what?'

'Well...we did the lottery by Amidakuji and I ended up getting the Queen...' said Yuuri sheepishly. 'We need the fashions real fast.'

'Right...I'll be done by tonight.'

'Thanks~' "Ah, if only he knew the truth." Yuuri sighed inwardly as she went to take out magic books she pilfered from the Tohsaka library, taking advantage of the War Aftermaths and studying what she wanted to study out of interest.

She also took copies of the Tohsaka Family Magecraft...Jewel Magecraft during the summer she was in Fuyuki. Why choose such an expensive family study Yuuri would never know...but it looks interesting and she has a LOT of jewels at her disposal in the other world, so she would study and use jewels at the right time. She had asked Gunter about the Houseki Adelbert used on her. While to any half-blood their human side protects them from its effects, Purebloods weaken when its used. In her case, it dispels her magic but the nature she left behind remains. Her control over them just lost.

So she studied further refined Maryoku control according to directions in the book concerning each jewel type, and its many properties whether magical or not, and by stealing money from Fuyuki, she could fund what she wanted by mail order and bought a book on how to forge Mystic Codes...that cost a hefty sum that she had to steal more money from richer areas of her city to complete the price charged before the deliveryman from the association comes and went as far as opening her own bank account to deposit money there and get a cheque.

The book she asked for...cost a frigging 894.735 yen(around 5200 pounds)!

So upon collecting 900.000 due to delivery fee services, she waited until the Deliveryman came with what she wanted and paid up by cheque as she really didn't want to pay upfront and risk losing the money overseas.

Upon getting her book, she can freely make Mystic Codes after some studying the book. While she has no resources to make one in Earth, she has plenty in the other world!

Her family never found out about the expensive purchase nor the money she got for it. When Shori would find the book later and ask about it, she said she got it by using up a favor an acquaintance owes her.

However...

'Nee,' she said at dinner. 'I met Conrad-ojisan.' her family froze, fell silent.

Miko broke the silence with her loud, excited squeal. 'You went there, to Shin Makoku?!' she squealed happily.

'Yeah...after some jerk pushed me falling into a particularly polluted river.' Yuuri grumbled. 'Come to think of it, I left my uniform and school stuff there...'

'So...what happened in Shin Makoku, Yuu-chan?' Shoma asked his daughter. 'Conrad still looks constipated?'

'From your stories...not anymore. He's a pleasant, princely guy.' Yuuri chimed. 'He said he's about 120 and physically appears around niisan's age. I also met my predecessor and her two other sons...and my Royal Tutor.' she used Illusory Hypno to show them. 'My predecessor is the lady and Conrad's mom, Cecilie von Spitzberg-sama. Then ojisan's two other half-brothers, the guy in green is the oldest, Gwendal von Voltaire and the blonde is Wolfram von Bielefeld.'

'...half...brothers?' Shori blinked owlishly. The others alongside him sported various scenarios and their own conclusions due to how Celi dresses.

'Well, ojisan told me his dad died of old age peacefully because his dad was human but still of noble lineage. And uh...for some reason, those marriages never last long compared to her and Lord Weller's since they're an engagement on orders of Shinou. But even he has no idea what happened to the fathers of his brothers. He never met them and Celi-sama travels a lot and so does he and his father, off to rescue half-bloods from er...cruel humans who persecute them.' Yuuri explained. 'When he came back with his elderly father, Wolfram was already there, a ten year old toddler before he went off traveling with Gwendal, leaving Conrad the babysitter. Then the purple-haired guy is my tutor, Gunter von Christ. I just finished learning mazoku language and then I found myself at home again and I just found out that time here stops while I'm there. I'm there for three months!'

'Heeee...'

Shori stared at the hypno illusions before twitching.

"I got the idea on WHO gets to wear those dresses..." and no festival involved. Definitely. And because she goes there by water, he would have to laminate the prints. That, and print out military uniforms too.

xxx

At school, it was business as usual, deal with class, her peers, and find whoever shoved her in that polluted river to get payback.

She did by locating the culprit by Telepathy. It was someone from the other class. So when swimming lessons came for that class and everyone out in the pool, she teleported away her clothes and towel in the locker and made sure the other girls have no spares to lend her. What, she can be vindictive when she wanted and humiliation is almost harmless in comparison to what would happen to her when she fell in that polluted water...she could have gotten very ill!

She smirked in satisfaction as chaos occurred and of course, nothing can implicate her. She did it all with magic!

And when her brother has those print outs in laminate, she decided its time to go back. She has plans.

'So this is your uniform in Shin Makoku?' Miko mused as Yuuri was in her old outfit, while carrying her new book about Mystic Codes and laminated photos in a plastic bag, securely tied.

'Yeah...' said Yuuri. 'Well, the length of my school uniform was inappropriate so I had to wear these.' said Yuuri as she stepped into the bathtub. This time, instead of her school loafers and socks, she wore boots. 'See you tomorrow!' and she flared her maryoku and she was gone.

'What's tomorrow for us is several months for her.' Shori said wryly with a harrumph. 'Oh well, at least time there passes faster so we won't miss her much.'

'That's the beauty of it, Sho-chan.' Miko smiled as she patted her son's back. 'We get to have her more than they do~!'

xxx

Shin Makoku

Yuuri came out of a steamy bath pool. "...where in the world am I?" she wondered as she saw shadows approaching her.

'Who's there?' a man's voice spoke out as Yuuri paled. She ended up in the men's room! Mortified and embarrassed, she teleported out of the water, appeared by the windows and flew out and away, while drying herself by using her old tricks.

'That, was mortifying!' she shuddered, just missing Gunter and Conrad come in.

'Your majesty, we're...' Gunter called out with readied towels. 'Huh?'

'She left in a hurry.' an orange-haired man chuckled. 'She flew out the window.'

'Ehhh? The new Maou is a lady?!' the men he was with gasped.

'HEEEIIIKAAAA!'

xxx

Yuuri found herself in an unfamiliar castle by the seaside. "Where am I? This is not Shin Makoku..." she started to panic before deciding to look for a familiar place in the castle by flying around. Not a familiar face in sight. She groaned until she heard a shout of 'HEIKA!'

That, was Wolfram. She froze as she looked for the blonde. 'DOWN HERE IN THE FOURTH FLOOR!' Yuuri looked to see the blonde waving at her in a bid to get her attention thus she flew towards him.

'Finally, a familiar face~!' Yuuri wailed as she practically tackled him. 'It's one huge sick cosmic joke! I came out of the men's bathroom after I traveled back! It's not funny, it's horrifying!' she wailed.

'Y-you appeared in the men's bathroom?' the blonde sweatdropped at the wailing Maou who clearly did NOT like what she saw.

'YES! WHOSE BRIGHT IDEA WAS IT?!' Yuuri wailed while shuddering and her expression said it all.

'No idea but at least you're in a friendly place.' Wolfram sighed as they stood up. 'We're in Gwendal-aniue's castle.' Yuuri blinked at this.

'Huh? His house or his villa?'

'His house.'

'Oh...'

'Well, its mostly majority of the Voltaires using it now because aniue moved into Shin Makoku but he still has his room here as Head of the Voltaire Clan.' Wolfram shrugged. 'Well, we'll be here for a while.'

'Oh...OK. I guess a good change of scenery is nice...we're near the ocean and all.' Yuuri chimed. 'Let's go to the beach later!' Wolfram did a double-take.

'Ehhh? But we're here for a job!'

'A job?'

'Yes. We're seeing aniue...before Gunter yells your name all over the place.' Wolfram sighed. The once serious and formal man became a total overly-dramatic flake when Yuuri is concerned.


	9. Dance Parties and Soukoku Appearance

Dance Parties and Soukoku Appearance

Gwendal's Office...

'Aniue, she's here.' said Wolfram as he led Yuuri inside Gwendal's Office.

'Welcome back, heika.' Gwendal greeted.

'I wished I appeared in the ocean, not in the men's bathroom.' Yuuri grumbled with a bright red face, still embarrassed and mortified. She was glad the bathroom was steamy and did not see anything but the prospect that she's in a room full of naked muscular men creeped her out. Gwendal raised an inquisitive eyebrow at his younger brother who shrugged.

'Wolfram said we have a job?' Yuuri inquired as she sat on the couch.

'Yes.' said Gwendal. 'War is imminent on us.' Yuuri's eyes widened and egged him to continue. 'While we managed to keep this a secret for so long as you're not coronated yet, the information somewhat leaked and they want to nip the problem in the bud. And it so happens that one of our agents found the Maou's ultimate weapon, Morgif.'

'Heee...but I think the war is more important than any weapon right now. I want to know what kind of man is the opposing leader so I'd know if we can do this by diplomacy or not.' Yuuri told him. 'War...I don't think we're ready for that just yet.' she mumbled nervously.

'I agree. That's why we need a morale boost in the form of the Maou's Ultimate Weapon only a Maou can wield, the demon sword Morgif.' Gwendal continued. 'Its located in the island of Van de Veer in Shimaron. A human territory in a human nation.'

'Well, while I'll agree on getting it, I think we should hide the details about the ultimate weapon.' Yuuri suggested. 'It'll just provoke them into going with it more. And also, we should get information. Information is more important than anything. Number of men, abilities, leaders, weapons or if they have houseki or not, advantageous and disadvantageous geography...the works. If I can't settle this by Diplomacy after getting Morgif...'

'Very well. We will plan accordingly.' Gwendal nodded. 'Good to know you studied before coming back here.'

'Well, its something I have to know...because this caught me unawares enough as it is.' Yuuri said wryly. 'So...who's coming with me?'

'I'll decide.'

xxx

'HEIIIIKAAA!' Gunter glomped his pupil as soon as Yuuri was seen.

'So how do you find Gwendal's Castle, Yuuri?' Conrad said with his usual smile.

'We're by the ocean so its comfortably breezy in here.' Yuuri chuckled as the hallways alone were so windy, what more outside? 'Gwendal's sooo lucky~'

'If only he thinks the same.' Wolfram snorted. 'He hates it as it blows away paperwork.' Yuuri sweatdropped.

'There's a reason why we have paperweights.' she said wryly.

'What're those?' Gunter and Wolfram blinked, causing the two half-bloods to sigh.

'Looks like we're in for an explanation...' and they explained what a paperweight is...anything heavy to put on top of papers so the wind won't blow them away.

And so, Yuuri made two unusual requests.

'Eh? Houseki and Maseki?' Gunter blinked. 'As well as a cheap metal one can get anytime that does not rust?'

'Yep. I will study both stones and find a way to nullify Houseki's Effects on purebloods while we half-bloods have immunity, protected by our human halves. So the houseki just dispels our magic.' said Yuuri. 'I'll make a portable defense in the form of jewelry so nobody would suspect anything. It'll be my little project because even I don't know if I can actually make it or not. So don't put your hopes up because this'll take a while. Even I don't know if I'll succeed or not even after acquiring the book for it.'

'You call that little while its something big for us?' Wolfram yelped in disbelief at her amazing ideas that she came up with yet wanting to tinker as she has no idea if she would succeed or not but would still try, yet says she may or may not succeed thus telling them 'not to get their hopes up' so he gets mollified and confused at the same time. 'That's been our problem for several millennia now!'

'Huh? It is?'

'Yes...for Purebloods, it causes irregular maryoku flow, causing them pain and weakness as well as unable to use magic.' Conrad explained. 'Its been a problem for as long as I remember.'

'Heee...'

'Well, we shall get what you require ready before your return heika.' said Gunter with a bow. 'Shall we get you to your room and some lunch?'

'That would be nice but I'll explore Gwendal's grounds or maybe I'll be at the beach...he has no idea how lucky he has it!'

xxx

And so...

'The beach huh?' Wolfram sighed at the carefree Queen who went off to the beach. 'She sure is carefree even if war is imminent on us.'

'Well, she'd no doubt want to calm her nerves down, Wolfram.' said Conrad. 'Not long into her post and she's facing this already.' he said softly. 'Now then, I suppose its seafood tonight so I better get some ready.'

'What, she doesn't like meat?' Wolfram snorted. 'She's having seafood and seaweed whether raw or not!'

'Its in her culture and raised that way.' Conrad explained. 'At least she's not imposing her world on us.'

'And you're eating the same thing?'

'Acquired Taste.'

'...'

xxx

Next day...

They're on a ship, disguised as wealthy humans with good reason: security.

They traveled to Hildyard, a country neutral to us. Hildyard is the only country with which Shin Makoku has diplomatic relations. arrived on foreign soil three days after departing on a merchant ship from a port city in the Voltaire region.

Hildyard has maintained its relationship with Shinma Kingdom despite censure from its neighboring countries, supposedly out of gratitude for aid in the time of its founding. But that's only its official front; the truth is that trade is more profitable than ostracism.

It's one calculating country.

Schildkraut is located on Hildyard's southern tip. If it were an airport, it'd be a hub: ships and people gather here from all over the world, and it's as lively as a map of trade nations in miniature. After purchasing some popular Human products at the market, they boarded a gorgeous passenger ship heading for Van der Veer Island. At least, that was the plan.

The luxury liner Gunter had the local coordinator reserve (apparently there are people associated with the Mazoku placed in various locations in various territories, something of a grand spying scheme), though not on the level of the Titanic, is at least as gorgeous as Pinch-Hitter-Nic(k). It took me twenty seconds to sprint from one end of the ship to the other, so it's probably about a hundred meters or so in length.

Sailors wearing light-blue uniforms work in the cramped space beneath the folded, spotlessly white sails. The passengers coming abroad are dressed in the style of gentlemen and ladies from around the eighteenth century; the amount of luggage their porters are carrying on board is jaw-dropping. And they're on their own, posing as a young lady and her bodyguard. Their names on the ahem, register are Lorelei McAllon and Christopher Edwards. Yuuri put an illusory hypno on herself with her hair being sandy blonde and her eyes green. She wore one of the dresses she created after asking Gunter for the right fabric but she has to buy the shoes.

'While I can understand why we're riding a luxury liner, I still think this is ridiculous.' said Yuuri as they enjoyed the ocean breeze on the docks. 'We should have been more...covert than this.'

'Well, better than Gunter's idea of using an armada which will definitely cause people to think we're marching for battle or something.' Conrad snorted. Yuuri sweatdropped.

'That's true...that would've been real bad...ahahaha...' Yuuri chuckled weakly 'Really now, he always over exaggerates things or is it always this way in Shin Makoku?'

'Well, he wasn't like this years ago.' said Conrad. 'But after mother retired, we haven't had a monarch for too long and everyone gets antsy and without a ruler, the lynchpin of a nation's stability, everyone would get nervous and afraid. I suppose that when you finally came, he could finally relax and became the Gunter you know today.'

'Oh...' soon, the ship disembarked, and they sailed away for their destination in Van de Veer Island somewhere in Shimaron Territory. By night, there's a dance party and Yuuri took out a dress she herself made out of Alchemy while she had the Royal Tailor make everything else. She only makes clothing herself when forced to rush, and only Conrad and Gunter knew of her Alchemy Magic, others didn't and just had academic know-how in it. That, and Yuuri has no knowledge of the elements and minerals of THIS world so unless she studies the elements and minerals of this world, she can't perform much Alchemy unless its on materials she's familiar with.

That night, they went out to the party and she's the only one with the most unique dress because hey, it's Earth Fashion. She easily outclassed the women in her fashion taste...and with her unique Japanese Beauty, it made her stand out more that while they danced, a lot of BOYS wanted to politely cut in, wishing to dance with Yuuri.

Yuuri was overwhelmed as she never experienced this sort of thing before, but she would politely dance with them one by one and they talked...with Yuuri ensuring they wouldn't ask questions that are TOO personal using Telepathic Suggestions. But she enjoyed company nonetheless but by the time she's done with them, she sat with her godfather...who has a rather beautiful drag queen enjoying wine and talking to some woman behind him.

'Had you enjoyed yourself, Yuuri?' Conrad asked her.

'Ehehe...I've never done this before so its nerve wracking...I never even talked to a boy in school and the only boy I ever talked to is my own brother and Wolfram but even in the latter's case, I prefer short talks! Some of my peers are even thinking I'm a lesbian but I'm not.' Yuuri snorted. 'Its just that...I find boys strange.' she said while fidgeting.

'Ahhh...puberty.' Conrad chuckled in amusement. 'You're at an age when you see boys as if they're aliens from another planet. You think they're strange. Their gestures and attempts to socialize with girls make girls feel shy and nervous until slowly, they accept boys as a part of their lives. Then they can make friends...and soon, fall in and out of love until they find their one true love.'

'Is that how it works?'

'It does.' Conrad smiled. 'But love...is not something one should rush. It takes patience until you find the person just for you.'

'Hai.'

'So shall we have dinner?' Conrad offered as they both stood up to get dinner.

**But ojisan,** Yuuri grunted by Telepathy. **These manners...** she grimaced as she looked around as people are throwing scraps on the floor. **Are appalling. And to think everyone dances while stepping on food scraps...this is normal?**

**Don't worry, Mazoku don't do this.** Conrad reassured her.** Its a human custom, even for human nobility and the wealthy.**

**Ugh...looks like several countries haven't had Etiquette 101**. Yuuri sighed. **I'm glad we're normal at least.** But while having dinner together, the ship shook hard. Yuuri quickly determined the cause. A sharp rock? Iceberg? and then she gasped. **PIRATES!**

**Your majesty, please hide!** Conrad urged. **And if you wish to support, please do so while well-hidden.**

**Alright. I'll be keeping an eye on you from afar and PLEASE don't get killed!** and Yuuri vanished while Conrad dashed for a certain drag queen...

Yuuri secured their belongings in their room, most importantly being money and travel papers. The clothes can be replaced ANYTIME.

She then decided to use her true form and usual attire to help out. Armed with swords, she tossed one to her uncle who started fighting other pirates and armed with magic, she teleported the hostages back to safety within their ship. Then using her element of water, she rose water and trapped each pirate in water balls with their heads above the water but neck-down they're trapped, before freezing them into ice. Yuuri froze a thick layer into ice while the rest inside is still water.

'Well, that's that.' she said, dusting off her hands before fading away like a ghost when in reality, she just made herself illusory invisible.

A Soukoku female rescuing a HUMAN SHIP became the talk for the rest of the night while the ship's crew started looking for 'the soukoku girl'.

'Heika, I know you're there.' Conrad whispered as he could smell her perfume near him. 'Gokurou.'

'I wanted them to see that mazoku aren't bad as humans believe.' said Yuuri. 'Hopefully, word will spread about this night.'

'Stay out of sight for now.' Conrad advised. 'I think...' he said as he glanced around. 'Your dancing partners are looking for you.'

'...right. Be in our room then.'


End file.
